Power Generation

& Plant operation

Electricity Generation

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 Books

Power plant engineering by Black & Veatch; Lawrence

F. Drbal, managing editor, Patricia Boston, associate
editor, Kayla L. Westra, associate editor

Power plant engineering by P.K. Nag- 3rd ed.

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Generators
Use energy to generate electric currents.
A moving magnet pushes the electrons along a
wire.
The energy used to move the magnet is carried by
the electric current.
magnet

torch
bulb

Coil of wire

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The inventor of the generator

Michael Faraday 1791-1867

invented the generator in 1831.
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What do we need to make a generator
for a power station?

Strong magnets
Lots of wire

then lots of

energy
to turn the generator.

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Factories, homes and schools
need huge amounts of energy

Generators in
power stations supply
electricity to factories,
homes and schools.

These generators are

in power stations

and are huge!

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Generators in power stations are
very, very big
Huge generators
need huge amounts
of energy.

The energy turns

the generators.

The electric
current carries the
energy to where it
is needed.

Size of a person
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How can a generator be turned?

Steam can be used

to turn a turbine
to turn the generator.

Turbine

Source
of
steam
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 A power station

electric
current

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How can water be heated to make steam?

Old way: The smoke is dirty and pollutes the

atmosphere.
Burn coal Also produces lots of carbon
dioxide which is a green house gas
heats up the Earth.

Newer way: Gas is cleaner than coal but still makes

Burn gas lots of carbon dioxide

Eventually the world will run out of coal and gas.

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Steam from nuclear energy
Nuclear reactors can be used
- to split atoms
- to release energy
- to boil water
to make steam splits to give

- to turn the generators.

This does not cause pollution
but some waste is +
very dangerous and has to be
handled very carefully.

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Steam from the Earth

5000 C

- giving energy 70000 C

to generate
electricity.

In some countries there

are hot rocks close to the
surface of the Earth.
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Energy from the Earth
In some countries
energy from the Earth
can be used
to boil water
to turn generators.

This does not cause

pollution
and will not run out. NREL geo pacific gas and electric

But is not an option in the UK !

It would need very very deep holes!
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Electricity from waste
Vegetation and animal dung give off energy as
they rot. This can be used to heat homes and
greenhouses directly.

Also waste can be burned

- to boil water
- to make steam
- to turn generators.

The process uses up waste.

But produces carbon dioxide.

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How else can we turn a generator
without polluting the Earth?

Use flowing water.

top of dam

Hoover Dam in USA 220m high

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 Hydroelectricity
Running water turns the generator
Water
from a
mountain
lake

(Tennessee Valley Authority)

Does not pollute the atmosphere.

The dam must be high in mountains.
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 Waves
Energy from
waves can be
used to turn
generators.

We have lots
of waves in the
seas around
the UK.

Does not cause pollution.

There are more problems to solve.
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We can make a windmill
When you blow
the windmill it
turns.

The moving air

pushes the blades
round.

What happens
if you blow
harder?
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Wind can turn generators
Many years ago
windmills were used to turn
mill stones to grind grain.

Now modern wind turbines

are used to turn
generators.
Do not pollute the air.
Wind is not used up.
But sometimes the wind
does not blow.
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 Energy from the Sun

NASA 20
Solar cells
Use solar cells to change the energy in sunlight
into electricity
no generator needed
- needs lots of sunlight.

Solar
cells

traffic
sign parking meter
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The space station has huge
solar panels
The
International
Space Station
uses solar
panels to
collect energy,
making it
possible for
scientists to
live on board
and do NASA
experiments. The framework is 109 metres long.
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Fusion
Makes the Sun shine.

Scientists are finding ways to get huge amounts

of energy.
when small atoms join together,
energy is given out +
like in the Sun. gives

Will not run out.

Does not pollute the air.

The future? Not possible for another 20 years!

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Energy Sources:
Fossil fuels
Coal - pollution
Gas - pollution sources do not run out
Renewable
Oil -Hydroelectricity
pollution needs mountains
Wind - only works when wind blowing
Waste & rotting vegetation greenhouse gases
Sunlight best in sunny countries
Geothermal only in countries with hot springs
Waves small scale only so far
Energy from nuclear reactions
Fission waste needs very careful handling
Fusion waste less dangerous
will not run out - but very difficult !
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Re-cap
A generator generates an electric current
by moving magnets near a coil of wire.

We need a source of energy to turn the

generator:
Burn fossil fuels?
Nuclear reactions?
Renewable energy?

You will have to choose !

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There has been an exponential growth in the production of
electricity. If the electricity production E increases at the
same fractional rate, i, each year, the rate of change of
electricity production per year becomes

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where Eois the electricity production in the base year
to. This exponential behavior gives rise to the tern
called "doubling time" which indicates the time
required for electrical power production to double. If
E1 is the power generation at time t1 and E2 is the
power generation at time t2, then

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 Using previous simple expression, for various
rates of increase in electricity production per
year, the doubling time can be estimated:
From the trend of production, it is observed that
i= 6.2% and so the doubling time td is about
11.2 years.
It is found that the demand for electricity bears
a linear relationship with the gross national
product (GNP) of a country.
Projection of future demand of electricity is thus
tied to estimates of economic growth of the
concerned region.
With the increase of economic growth, the
consumption of electricity also increases 28
 LOAD-DURATION CURVES
When planning a power plant, the two basic parameters to be
decided are:

I. Total power output to be installed (kWinst)

2. Size of the generating units.

The total installed capacity required can be determined from:

1. First demand (kWmax) estimated.
2. Growth of demand anticipated.
3. Reserve capacity required.
The size of the generating units will depend on

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 The size of the generating units will depend on:

1. Variation of load (load curve) during 24 hours

(summer, winter, week-days, holidays).
2. Total capacity of units connected to the electric grid.
3. Minimum start-up and shut-down periods of the units.
4. Maintenance programme planned.
5. Plant efficiency vs. size of unit.
6. Price and space demand per kW vs. size of unit.

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For estimating the expected maximum load, the most useful
tool is the construction of a hypothetical load curve. Figure
shows the typical hourly load curve in a metropolitan area,
from which the maximum demand can be estimated. Several
factors used in the electricity supply industry in this regard are
defined below:

Thus, if a plant bas a peak load of I000 MW but the

average annual load is 350 MW, its annual load factor
would be only 0.35. Most of its capacity remains
unutilized for major part of the year, and so the cost
would be high 31
 The average load is estimated by dividing the area
under the daily load curve by the time period considered

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 If the rated capacity of the plant is equal to the peak load,
then the load factor and capacity factor will be numerically
equal.

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 Plant use factor

It is the ratio of energy produced in a given time to the

maximum possible energy that could have been produced
during the same time of operation.
If the operating time is 1 year or 8760 hrs, the plant use
factor is equal to the capacity factor (i.e., u = n)
As the plant-use factor approaches 1 , it indicates the need
for additional capacity of the plant.

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 LOCATION OF POWER PLANTS
The location of hydroelectric power plants is usually
predetermined by the availability of water and the water head
which is utilized. For conventional base load thermal power
plants, the following factors are to be considered:

1. Availability of cooling water (if cooling towers are used the

possibility of adequate make-up water).
2. Availability of fuel (water, rail or pipe connection to the fuel
source, and the cost of fuel transport).
3. Distance from the center of gravity of load demand.
4. Cost of land (including spare for extension, maintenance
workshop and storage yard).
5. Character of soil.

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6. Main wind direction and water currents in cooling water
source (sea, lake or river) in order to minimize air and
water pollution, and other ecological considerations.
7. With coal-fired stations, disposal of ash.
8. If the plant is erected far from a town, accommodation for
staff.
9. Rail and road connections.
10.Security considerations

For nuclear power plants two additional factors are to be

considered.

11. Density of population in the vicinity.

12.Danger of earthquakes.
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 Problem 1
A power station supplies the following loads to the
consumers:
Time in hours 0-6 6-10 10-12 12-16 16-20' 20-22 22-24
Load in MW 30 70 90 60 100 80 60

(a)Draw the load curve and estimate the load factor of

the plant.

(b) What is the load factor of a standby equipment of 30

MW capacity if it takes up all loads above 70 MW?
What is its use factor?

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Solution 1

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Solution 1

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 Problem 2
The peak load on a power plant is 60 MW. The loads
having maximum demands of 30 MW, 20 MW, 10 MW
and 14 MW are connected to the power plant. The
capacity of the power plant is 80 MW and the annual
load factor is 0.50.Estimate :
(a) the average load on the power plant,
(b) the energy supplied per year,
(c) the demand factor;
(d) the diversity factor

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Solution 2

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Solution 2

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 Problem 3
A thermal power plant of 210 MW capacity has the
maximum load of 160 MW. Its annual load factor is
0.6.The coal consumption is 1 kg per kWh of energy
generated and the cost of coal is Rs 450.00 per ton.
Calculate :
(a) The annual revenue earned if energy is sold at Re 1
per kWh
(b) the capacity factor of the plant.

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Solution 3

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Solution 3

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 Problem 4

A power plant has the following,annual factors: load factor =

0.75, capacity factor = 0.60, use factor = 0.65. Maximum
demand is 60 MW. Estimate:

(a)The annual energy production,

(b)the reserve capacity over and above the peak load
(c)the hours during which the plant is not in service ,per year

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Solution 4

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 Problem 5
The maximum load on a thermal power plant of 60 MW
capacity is 50 MW at an annual load factor of 60 %. The
coal consumption is 1 kg per unit of energy generated and
the cost of coal is Rs 600 per tonne of coal. Find:
(a) the annual revenue earned if the energy is sold at Rs 2
per kWh
(b) the capacity of the plant.

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Solution 5

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 Problem 6

A thermal power plant consists of two 60 MW units, each

running for 8000 hours, and one 30 MW unit running for
2000 hours per year. The energy produced by the plant is
876 x 106 kWh per year.
Determine the plant load factor and plant use factor.
Consider the maximum load as equal to the plant capacity.

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Solution 6

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